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BELLE
I rolled over and stretched my arms over my head, causing my cast to clank against my headboard. Today was the day I was getting this thing off, and I couldn’t wait. I’d never been so frustrated in my entire life when I needed to scratch an itch and couldn’t get to it because of the stupid cast. But I’d soon have relief, and the thought of it brought a smile to my face.
The sun shone through my window, and I slowly turned to check what time it was and darted up in bed. It was already eight in the morning, and Leo hadn’t woken me—wait, where was Leo? His bassinet was empty, and for a second, I panicked. I jumped out of bed, not bothering to put anything on underneath the oversized T-shirt I was wearing. It covered everything important, so it was a tiny thing I didn’t have time to rectify.
My feet slammed against each step as I ran down the stairs and into the living room. My heart raced in my chest, my hands shaking. Did someone take him? Did—I halted as I entered the kitchen where everyone was sitting around the table, and lying there snuggled in his dad’s arms was a sleeping Leo.
“Thank god,” I whispered, my body sagging. “I thought someone had taken him.” Ford stared at me, his hazel eyes shining with something I hadn’t seen before. His brows lowered, his mouth moving on one side as if he was deep in thought. “Ford?” I asked, stepping closer to him, and he finally snapped out of whatever he was thinking about.
“Huh?” He shook his head and glanced around the room. “What did you say?”
I reached for Leo and held him to my chest as he started to fuss. “I thought someone had taken him.”
“He was crying,” Ford said, standing, and it was only then I realized he was bare-chested. I tried not to look, I really did, but it was hard to do when his muscles moved with each of his movements. “So, I got him and fed him.”
“Oh.” I moved from foot to foot, suddenly aware of the lack of clothes I was also wearing. “What time?”
“Five,” he answered right away. I nodded, not sure what else to do or say. It was awkward, but I wasn’t sure if it was me, him, or both of us.
Neither of us said another word as we stood there opposite each other until Mom asked, “What time is your appointment?” and I was thankful for the interruption.
“Nine thirty,” I answered her, moving Leo. “Are you still okay to take me?”
Mom shook her head. “I need to mark some papers.” She paused, her gaze flicking from me to Ford and then back again. “Ford? Can you take her? I can watch Leo while marking.”
“I…yeah, sure,” Ford said and glanced around the room. Was he nervous? “Can you watch Lottie at the same time?” As if she knew we were talking about her, she crawled out from under the table with a piece of bacon hanging out of her mouth.
I narrowed my eyes on the bacon and then glanced at each of them around the table. Dad’s plate was empty, and Mom’s bowl must have been cereal, so the only person left eating was…
“Asher.” I raised my brows at him, and he halted as he was lifting his breakfast sandwich to his mouth. “Did you give Lottie bacon?”
“Who? Me?” Asher asked, pointing at his chest.
“Yeah, you.”
He shook his head. “It wasn’t me, I have sausage. Dad had bacon.”
He pointed across the table to Dad. “What?” Dad asked, standing up. “She was staring at me with those eyes, and I couldn’t say no.” Lottie trotted over to him, and he reached down to stroke her.
“You’re such a pushover,” Mom declared, laughing. “A dog stares at you, so you give it three slices of bacon?”
“Three?” I shouted. “You can’t give her three slices of bacon. She’s a dog. She needs her proper food, not fat and pork.” I puffed out a breath. “I can’t trust you guys with anything. Next thing I know, you’ll be dipping Leo’s pacifier in whiskey to help him sleep.”
“You mean we weren’t meant to do that?” Mom asked innocently.
My eyes widened so much I was sure my eyeballs would fall out of my head. “What?” I ground out.
“Kidding, Belle. Kidding.” Mom held her hands up in surrender. “I’m just joking.”
I shook my head and spun around to head upstairs to feed Leo and get ready. I had a family full of comedians apparently.
“It never hurt you, that’s all I’m saying!” Dad shouted behind me. “You loved whiskey when you were a baby.”
“You’re terrible parents!” I shouted back and turned just before exiting the living room. “You should all be locked up.”
“I don’t have time to get locked up today,” Mom quipped back. “Maybe tomorrow? I could get a little reading done then.”
